


Explorers of Soul

by asterysk



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Basically a whole load of people, First time using AO3 so forgive wonky formatting, Frisk will have no gender confirmed, Gen, Nothing of super pmd in here bc i am a poor european who has to wait till february, Pls dont spoil me for that, Plus new bits, Spoilers, The obligatory pokemon mystery dungeon crossover au, Will add more as needed/remembered, Will blend undertale plot with bits of all PMD games, of a kind - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-02 06:51:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5238572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterysk/pseuds/asterysk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A familiar tale: A human stranded in a world of monsters, sealed off after a great war. The very makeup of this world has been warped, and threatens to collapse in on itself, but maybe with bravery and determination, the world can be pulled back from the edge of the abyss.<br/>(A crossover / AU reimagining of both Undertale and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, using Undertale characters and parts of all three MD game sets, but mostly Explorers)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Light from above

**Author's Note:**

> Strap yourselves in folks, this is gonna be a fun ride.

Peals of thunder ring around you. Flashes of light, yet you can't see. You can feel a great force buffeting you, but you can't feel yourself. Almost impossibly, you can hear a voice win against the cacophony to be heard.

 

"Hang in there, please!"

It's distorted, and distant, but it's like the chaos around you was being polite, letting whoever it was speak.

"You're our only hope of a future! The future of humans and monsters!"

 

Any other words were drowned out as almighty crash cut through your thoughts, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

 

~~~

 

When you came to, ringing in your head continuing, you couldn’t understand how you could have dreamt of something so deafening. It had to have been a dream, right? When the cavern around you was so still, and the harder you tried to remember it, the more distant it seemed. As best as you could see, a single shaft of light filtered down from high above, and even then it was dim. Why were you looking up anyway? How… did you get here? You were on your back in a patch of something soft, body stiff and protesting as you tried to move. At least you had a body... 

 

Your body. It felt wrong. How? Trying to find a memory to answer some of your questions made trying to remember that dream seem like… like… Great. You couldn’t even remember a simple figure of speech. Oh well? You’re going to get up and have a look around... even if it’s the last thing you do. Three, two, one, h-up… oh. 

You stumbled across the golden petals as you tried to stand up in a way that your body didn’t like, dropping down to your hands and… legs? Just then, a movement in the corner of your eye sent you stumbling across the room, unsure whether you were chasing or running away from it as you kept catching glimpses, panic setting in. Bumping against a craggy wall, your legs give way. The reality of your situation was starting to set in: You didn’t remember anything, you didn’t know where you were, you didn’t know what the pink fluffy thing beside you was… You shot it a glare as it twitched, staying like that for a time. Giving into curiosity, you batted it slightly. You felt it. Was… it part of you? Concentrating, you managed to make it twitch again, but the joy of success was quickly drowned out by confusion again. What was going on?

Sat down, the right way up, you could properly look at the floor of the chasm; past the golden flowers, dimly lit, was an offshoot. Slowly coming to terms with your limbs, you picked yourself up and tottered over, not liking having to use all four legs to move but making do as best you could. You pressed forward into the gloom, leaving behind what little light there was, and the flowers clamouring for it. Just when you thought it was a dead end, there was an opening, a doorway carved out from the rock. There was no other way out… 

 

It was impossible to see how big the room beyond was, or even much detail, despite another spotlight picking out a single flower growing there. You could see another doorway through the room though, steps climbing up towards more light. Time to get go-

 

“Well, howdy!”

 

The sudden voice made you jump what felt like ten metres high. You whirled round, trying to find the source of it, what you had concluded was your tail belatedly following your movements. It was only when it spoke again you found where it was coming from.

 

“Hahahaha! Come down from the ceiling! You look more than a little lost there, buddy. I just wanna give you some tips.” The flower at your feet had a little grinning face where its centre should have been, and even without its slightly grating, tinny voice you would have been unnerved by it.

“My name’s Flowey. You look, dare I say, a bit uncomfortable in your own skin? Something tells me that you’re new around here, and, well, someone should teach you how things work round here! This world is inhabited by Monsters, like you. There’s lots of different types, but they all have one thing in common: they’ve all got magic inside of them! Now, you might feel all weak and wobbly now, but you can grow stronger through LV! What does that mean? Why, LOVE, of course!” Before you could react, the flower winked and leaves materialised, hovering in mid air, surrounding you. “When monsters want to share LOVE, they share magic! Those leaves are an example of the kind of magic you might see. Why don’tcha grab some now?”

 

Between your confusion and the speed of which the leaves came towards you, you didn’t have much time to do anything before they cut into you, edges razor sharp. You yelped with pain, and when you looked back up to Flowey, it’s face had twisted into something that chilled you to the bone.

 

“You idiot. In this world, it’s KILL or BE KILLED. You might look like a monster now, but your SOUL? It’s human through and through. And how could I pass up an opportunity like THIS?!” More leaves surrounded you, an impenetrable ring, and that first attack had hit you pretty hard… You were a gonner. Its face had changed again, eyes empty and its mouth jagged. When it spoke next, it was distorted and rasped. “DIE.” The leaves began to advance, swirling, impossible to cross, and it cackled as you were filled with dread. 

 

Just as the last bit of hope within you was about to be snuffed out, the leaves burst into flames, shrivelling and burning to a crisp. As the ashes fell to the ground, the flower looked around frantically for what was the cause. 

 

All it saw was a fireball headed straight for it.

 

Soil was scattered as the attack exploded, uprooting Flowey and sending them flying into the darkness. You had to admit, the face you caught a glimpse of was hilarious, even if half of your joy was comprised of relief.

 

“What a terrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth.” You turned around at the gentle voice, of what you assumed was your saviour. “...Do not be afraid my child. My name is Toriel, and I am the caretaker of these ruins.” Toriel seemed to straighten her posture, and straightened her purple robes as she said this, making it clear just how small you were compared to her. She was easily twice your height, to the tips of her pink and black pointed ears. There was a part of you that whined when you noticed that she was stood on two legs- why couldn’t you have hands like hers?

 

You must have zoned out, as she began looking at you quizzically. “Are you alright, my dear? It’s just… well, to reach this point, you must have either journeyed through the ruins, which is quite impossible, or… have fallen down from above. Do you have any injuries? Here, let me sort those…” She drew closer, kneeling down to examine you. The gentle touches on your fur are accompanied by pulses of energy that sent tingles through you, taking the stings away with them. Done, she stepped back to check you over again. 

 

“Feel better?” You nodded after a moment, still overwhelmed by what had happened in the short time you had been conscious. What was that the flower had said about being a monster, but having a human soul- “You are the first fresh face in these ruins for such a long time… and the first non- ah, never mind. To think such a small Skitty made it all this way. Come, my child, I will guide you to somewhere more safe."

Toriel turned slightly while still smiling at you, a gesture to follow. You stood still, staring dumbly at your feet. They were real, alright, but they felt... really wrong. When you looked up again, her smile had not faltered, but there was concern in her eyes, creases around them, while present before, suddenly making her look worn down. "Don't worry my child, I will look after you."

As you followed her up the steps and into the light, something told you that she would worry for you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp I did it. This idea mostly came from me just daydreaming and then I realised the two fit together all too well. And then I realised I could even use some guilty headcanons of mine, and I was having too much fun with it. ^_^'  
> What can I say, pokemon is forever. 
> 
> Already written up to half way through chapter three, won't commit to a schedule but it should be pretty regular, what with frequent long bus rides and three days off a week. Plus, I already have most of an ending, so that won't be a problem. ^_^
> 
> (This is only my second ever published fanfic thing, and my first time using Ao3. No I will not link you to the other >w>")
> 
> Dragging this on further, thanks for all the feedback from people who I showed this to, shout out to c0cunt, choco, and the Undertale Trash Bin crew, plus more I probably forgot.


	2. Welcome to the World of Monsters!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toriel holds your hand through the ruins, or she would, if you had any.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to put together a series of playlists of music for each chapter, so you can get an idea of what the background music might be. I mean, the music from both games is just A+, so...

As you stepped into true light for the first time you could remember, your eyes scrunched up tight instinctively. Blinking a few times in an effort to soothe them, you looked down, away from the glare. Purple stone paved the ground, large, lighter coloured slabs marking a path through the darker bricks, and red leaves that had gathered in grooves between the stones provided a burst of other colour to the scene. Toriel scurried along the path, towards another set of steps ahead. Beyond the gate house, spires of the same purple stone loomed above, illuminated by pockets of bright light somehow set into the cavern walls. As you took in the sight of the ruins all around you, you felt something stir. What was it... Trepidation? No…

DETERMINATION.

Despite your lack of memory, and the unease you felt because of this, the thought of a journey ahead of you... You were excited.

You skipped up the steps to the gate, Toriel waiting patiently for you. She walked with you through the door. Once in the room she once again rushed ahead, standing in front of the large door in front of the two of you, looking it over. She cleared away a vine that begun to encroach upon the doorway, before addressing you. "This door is one of many puzzles in these ruins. They are an old monster tradition; ancient fusions of diversions and door keys."

She paused a moment, a pensive expression crossing her face. "Tell me dear, it is not often I have the chance to speak to monsters who have lived outside the ruins these days. Are puzzles still practiced where you came from?"

Another reminder of the fact that you didn't remember anything, apart from the fact that you didn’t remember anything. You froze, your expression obviously confusing Toriel. "Ah, don't worry about me, child, you mustn't feel obligated to give the answer you think will make me happy."

Better get this out of the way then. You didn't want to lie to someone who had shown you so much kindness... You tried to speak, but initially you only succeeded in producing a hoarse squeak. Toriel rushed to your side, placing a comforting hand on your head. "Are you okay? Please, just let me know if I missed any injuries or if you do not feel well."

You finally managed to form some words, but they were so quiet, if Toriel wasn't right next to you, she may not have heard them. "I... Don't remember. Anything."

Toriel's eyes widened in such a way as to make you feel bad you said anything; motherly concern seemed to be her default setting. "A- Amnesia?"

You nodded slightly, feeling suddenly nervous, as if you had dropped a charade and were now all too vulnerable. Or perhaps you were this vulnerable all along? Those feelings melted away, however, when the hand that had been on your back was replaced by an embrace. "...Do not worry. My home is through the ruins, you will be safe there. I have a lot of books, perhaps one will help you find some of your memories?"

Toriel gave another one of her smiles before clambering to her feet again. "But, if we are to travel through the ruins, I must explain these puzzles to you! This room contains six switches. The right combination like so..." She walked over the raised stones to the left in a square formation, before returning to where she stood before. "...unlocks the door."

As the door slowly slid open, you noticed an inscription on the wall beside it. Every other line consisted of strange footprint like symbols, worn and weathered. Underneath, words that were more comfortable to you, brighter, as if they had been carved later. You didn’t know how, but you could understand enough of the strange symbols to know with certainty that the words were a translation.

"Only the fearless may proceed.  
Brave ones. Foolish ones.  
Both walk not the middle road."

The words echoed in your head as you hurried to follow Toriel.

Toriel walked at a slow pace with you, hands clasped, obviously deep in thought. "How... Extensive is your memory loss? What is the last thing you remember?"  
"...Waking up. Flowers."  
"...I see. Do you at least remember your name?"

Name. You were mentally preparing yourself to say you didn’t remember that either, when something rose to the surface of your thoughts. "Frisk."  
Toriel beamed. "What a nice name. I was beginning to worry that you didn’t remember anything about yourself… Ah, in this room there are some levers you must pull to proceed. I will see if you can do it yourself, but do not worry my child, I have labelled the ones you need to flip.”

Toriel then left to stand at the end of the room; this room was larger and longer, with the path turning a corner and crossing some water channels running through the room. Sure enough, on the opposite wall, between the vines, were the levers Toriel had said about. There was really no way of mistaking which ones you needed to press; not when they were highlighted by yellow arrows painted around them. What really was the point of this exercise again? You headed for the first one… before realising it was harder than you thought it would be to reach it. Toriel moved in the corner of your eye, but you just managed to reach it without help. Still, she spared you the trouble of straining for the other one, ushering you towards the next room. Maybe she didn’t get many people of your height falling down… 

How many people had fallen down? She had offhandedly mentioned something about you being “the first one in a long time” and “the first non-” something. First non what?!  
What was Toriel, even? You knew so little…  
“Toriel?”  
She stopped suddenly, facing you again, with the same motherly smile. “Yes, my dear?”  
Oh no this was an awkward question but here goes, clearing your throat and preparing yourself: “What… are you? I mean. You said I was a Skitty?”  
She must have been getting used to your perhaps odd questions, face more like sadness than shock. “I’m a Clefable.”

That only half answered one of your questions… you were lost in thought when she suddenly picked up the pace again, stooping down by some sort of grey stuffed doll with slightly creepy eyes to the side of the corridor.  
“Ah, Frisk, this is an opportunity to practice encountering other monsters! The general mood amongst the people is… somewhat uneasy, I am afraid. Some monsters may feel threatened when they encounter you and attack. But worry not, I am sure they will listen to reason, or to an offer of friendship! Try talking now to practice this, and if the need ever arises, I will be there to resolve the situation.”

She looked at you expectantly, and obligingly, you turned to the doll thing. “...you look nice today…?” Unsurprisingly, it didn’t seem much for conversation. When you looked back, Toriel nodded, happy with your attempt.

Onto the next room, onto another puzzle? Toriel said this room had one, but the room was empty, and the path snaked through it. You followed her into a corridor, but as you did so, something dropped from the ceiling. A blue frog creature, it sent a series of bubbles scattering around it. Uh, maybe now was a good time to try that talking tactic? “...Your eyes, wow, they’re… extra sparkly today?” It stopped in its tracks, and cocked it’s head, confused, but you think you saw it blushing anyway. Before anything else could happen, Toriel marched up to the two of you, and the frog scampered away. 

Toriel glared as it hopped away. “That was a Froakie, there are a large population living in the Ruins. Though, I must say, you handled that situation impeccably!” She led you through the corridor, coming to a room filled with water, crossable by… a bridge of spikes. There was the puzzle.

“This is the puzzle, but… here, follow me closely.” With Toriel leading you through the spikes, they disappeared in front of you as you approached, snaking your way across to the next room.

“You have managed excellently thus far, my child. However, I have a difficult request to ask of you… I would like you to walk to the end of the room by yourself. Forgive me for this.” Toriel once again raced away, disappearing at the end of the long room. Another seemingly pointless task… You were alone. As you began to make your way slowly along the room, the silence let you think again about your situation without the, admittedly welcome, distractions. You really didn’t remember anything other than your name, and you could barely remember that dream you had before you woke up… all you had to think about was what had happened since. You were apparently a monster called a Skitty, in a place called the Ruins. Toriel, who was a Clefairy, had helped you, and other than that all you had met was the Froakie, the doll... 

And Flowey. 

They had attacked you, like Toriel had later warned that some monsters might do, but… they said you had a human soul, whatever that meant.

You had asked some weird questions so far… what was one more?

Before you knew it, you were at the end of the corridor. Toriel stepped out from behind a convenient pillar to greet you once again. “Well done, my child. There was no need to worry, I did not leave you; I was merely behind this pillar the whole time. Thank you for trusting me.”

Toriel paused for a moment, and even opened her mouth to speak again, but you interrupted her before she could. “Toriel? ...I just remembered something, and I want you to ask about it.”

Her smile grew wider. “Oh? Did you regain a memory?”

Perhaps you should have worded that better, you had gotten her hopes up. “Not really… The flower that attacked me earlier… It said something. That I had a human soul?”

Her face completely fell for a moment, eyes widening and accentuated by those creases again, before she regained some semblance of composure. “I… see. Not to worry, I would not trust anything that that… thing… said. I- I just remembered something I need to do. I must leave you here. There are some puzzles that need to be dealt with, they are too dangerous. Please stay here, I would not be able to reconcile myself if you ran into trouble…”

She turned slightly to leave, before turning back. “I have an idea. I will give you a Voice Orb. If you have a need to call me, just rub the orb and say my name.” She handed you a pale blue, pearlescent object, complete with a small carrying pouch that Toriel looped round your neck. “Be good, alright?”

As she disappeared round the corner for real this time, you settled down by the pillar to do just what she asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bwoop, I hope this is alright. Next chapter is about 3/4 done, but the chapters seem to be getting longer??? Idk i just. Go with the flow. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thank you for everyone who has read this so far, and shout out to Astero. ;)
> 
> Feel free to shout at me down in the comments.


	3. Something stirring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is the end note from chapter one also on chapter two i dont understand  
> If anyone could help me with that, it'd be appreciated. ^_^''''
> 
> Anyway, next chapter.

You had stayed there for some time, calling Toriel every now and again to check up. The first time she apologised again for leaving you, the second time you had absent-mindedly called her Mom... You let her call you after that. Really though, Toriel just... It was like someone had injected pure mom-ness into her. At least the orb was as easy to use as Toriel said, though you were confused as to how it functioned.

But as you waited you grew uneasy. Something was stirring…

You had sat there a bit longer, the orb now silent, and echoes coming through the corridors, thinking. When you mentioned that human soul thing, Toriel seemed shaken. You didn't even know what “human” was or meant, but…

Too many questions, too few answers.

Something was approaching.

You suddenly had had the feeling of being watched. You didn't know what, or who, but you couldn’t stay here any longer. Besides, if Toriel was sorting puzzles, wouldn’t she have already done the nearest ones by now?

On the other side of the archway, you were greeted in the next room by another Froakie. Wary at first, it seemed this one wasn't interested in fighting you, blinking slowly and softly croaking to itself. In fact, it just wanted to give some advice: "Monsters might attack you at first, but when they do not want to fight any more, please show mercy."

From your harsh introduction to this world, you were finally starting to relax and enjoy the Ruins. An adorable bowl of sweets had been left in a small alcove, and piles of the leaves you had seen before were strewn around. You couldn’t resist: you jumped in one, and it swallowed you up to your ears.  
Laughing for the first time you could remember, you felt like you were filled with the determination to do anything.

~~~

The soft and deep piles of leaves helped you as you traversed the Ruins, cushioning your fall as you crossed unstable floors. You had encountered a number more monsters: More Froakies, several purple and nervous monsters that you had later learned were called Whismur, and a few green blob monsters called Solosis. Each, you had developed a strategy for getting past them: Whismur burst into tears whatever you did, so leaving them alone saved your ears, and the Solosis enjoyed being played with, glooping around happily.

Toriel had called again, asking about whether you preferred butterscotch or cinnamon…? You had given your honest answer, and then she rang back immediately, asking if you did not dislike the other. Was she making you something? 

Speaking of Toriel, the puzzles didn’t seem as dangerous as she had made them out to be. Sure, maybe she had already disabled them, but you didn’t see any signs of inactive puzzles...

Still, you were having fun with the puzzles that were there, and the inhabitants of the Ruins. A rock you were going to push as part of a puzzle turned out to be another monster, leading to an amusing exchange. An orange mouse monster poked out from a small hole as you passed by, squeaking, making you smile. You cheered up a monster that gave its name as Napstablook, who honestly looked a sullen grey cloth with eyes, and they had summoned an adorable hat to try and impress you. Some green spider-like monsters were having a bake sale and you bought a doughnut, stashing it away in the little holding pouch Toriel had gave you for later. The Ruins were bustling with life, and it was nothing like what that flower had tried to make you believe.

As you bounded away from the latest puzzle, the red ribbon that you had found down a hole hung round your neck as a bow, you came across a balcony, overlooking the rest of the Ruins. You could see the cavern roof better now, illuminated by the light orbs you had seen before. It was vast, and so were the ruins it contained, red leaves fluttering past on a cave breeze again providing a sudden dash of contrast.

As you turned to head back, having seen it was a dead end, you stopped. The grey object in the corner struck you as alien; it was some sort of blade, but on closer inspection, it was made of dull plastic. You left it behind, it was not like you could effectively hold it anyway. But it gnawed at your mind still, as you left it behind, approaching a bare, blackened tree.

A sudden voice made you jump. “Oh dear, that took longer than I thought it would” Toriel emerged from behind the tree, orb in hand, raised to her face to maybe call you. She jumped as she noticed you standing there, stashing the orb back in her robes and hurrying to your side. “How did you get here my child?! Are you hurt?” You had a few scrapes, mostly picked up from the floor falls than monsters, and Toriel tended to them as she had done before. “I should have not left you so long… it was irresponsible of me, but I wanted to surprise you. Hmm… I suppose I cannot hide it any longer. Come with me, Frisk.”

She hurried off in the fashion you had become used to, heading into a house not unlike the gate house you had seen at the start of your journey. It was quaint, not small as such, and something about it seemed to come alive. It was well tended to, the bright leaves seemingly taking the place of flower beds, and you were filled with warmth… and determination.

~~~

Toriel's home was as quaint on the inside as it was on the outside. Small bookshelves were found in corners, potted plants thriving under her care. “Do you smell that? Surprise! It is a butterscotch and cinnamon pie. I baked it to celebrate your arrival… I want you to have a nice time living here, so I am holding off on the snail pie for tonight. And… I have another surprise for you.”

For once, Toriel waited for you to come before showing you to your surprise. Stopping by the first door in the corridor, she paused, and patted your head again. She pushed open the door, and indicated for you to look inside. “This is it; a room of your own! I hope you like it, I- oh dear, is something burning? Er, do make yourself at home!”

Toriel ran off again, leaving you in the doorway of your new room, apparently. The walls were painted a warm red, and it seemed welcoming enough, if a little… childish? A box of toys was sat at the end of what you assumed was the bed, an odd but cosy looking nest of pillows and blankets. You sifted through the box briefly… they struck you as old and dusty.

Still, you were happy to have a roof over your head, other than the cavern ceiling, and as you settled down on the bed, the exhaustion you had been holding off all day suddenly caught up with you. 

~~~

_You dreamt of words, but not quite a voice, and they blurred together in the haze of your mind._

_“Please. Wake up. We have work to do.”_

~~~

You jolted awake, words fresh in your mind and overriding anything else. Who? What? 

...where were you again? 

The air was calm in your room, and a pleasant scent hung in it. Someone had turned the lamp in the corner out, but you could make out a slice of pie carefully placed on a plate on the floor.

You started to remember your journey through the Ruins, and Toriel, and despite the questions you still had, the familiar kindness reassured you.

You ate the pie there and then, after a momentary dilemma on how to do so, resigning yourself to basically slamming your face into it, due to your lack of proper hands that was _really starting to bug you._ You managed however, and any annoyance was drowned out by the heavenly taste of pie. Oh man, this was so good, and you really hoped there was more somewhere.

You left your room, deciding to look around the corridor. All the rooms were on one side, interspersed with potted plants of varying kinds, and the other wall was decorated with paintings and photographs. Pictures of mountains, oceans, landscapes of all kinds, and old, faded pictures of monsters you didn't recognise. 

You tore your eyes away from them to poke your head into the next room along. Another bedroom, a larger bed, more potted plants; was this Toriel's room? You didn’t feel like disturbing things, so you crept back out to check the end of the corridor. 

The last room was locked, a sign on the door saying something about ‘renovations’. As you turned to go back, what you initially thought was another picture caught your eye. 

It was you, apparently. 

You hadn't truly seen yourself before. Pinkish-red fur covered most of you, the rest being a yellow-cream colour, and you thought you could see crumbs stuck in the fur around your face. Sure enough, you really did have a tail, and ears to match. It was you, but not you.

~~~

Toriel looked up over her glasses as you entered the room, smiling and bookmarking her page. “Up already, I see? I- ha, I see you enjoyed the pie.” You must have looked puzzled, as she quickly clarified. “You have pie debris in your fur. Here, may I?” Toriel produced a cloth from her robes, and brushed it all away. “Ah, I am sorry for fussing over you, but you see, well, I am ever so glad to have someone here. I have ever so many books i would like to share with you. I want to show you my favourite bug hunting spot. I’ve even prepared a curriculum for your education. This may come as a surprise, but I have always wanted to be a teacher… actually, that is probably no surprise at all. Still, the point stands: I am glad to have you living here.” 

...You were noticing how Toriel kept insinuating that you were staying here permanently. It was nice, but… You looked through the bookshelf set against the wall. Toriel did say earlier that maybe reading some of her books could trigger some memories, right? Flora of the World, Economical Eating, Modern Technology for Dummies (Said book was worn and old)... Complete Compendium of Monster Species, The Abridged History of Monsterkind. Those two were more tomes than books, but they sounded good. You managed to haul them off the shelf somehow, and you settled down by the fire across from Toriel to start reading.

~~~

You had gotten lost in the pages of the book on monster species, losing track of time without having even read the other yet. There were just so many! The book had also contained some general details of monsters: Types, evolution, general species commonalities, etc. Perhaps you were so tired of not knowing things that you were now trying to learn anything you could, and really, who could blame you? Each species had its own two page spread, filled with details and colour illustrations. You had found some of the monster species you had seen so far in the ruins, and even a few that you had seen in the pictures in the corridor. What was more, about 300 pages in, you had found the page for Skitty.

So apparently, you were a Normal type monster, and you could “evolve” into another monster type called a Delcatty? It was sort of strange, having a book know more about you than you did. One thing you did notice, was that the pictures showed Skitties as a slightly different set of colours than what you had seen of yourself in the mirror. Was the page just faded? Your fur was redder than that, but the other pages had seemed close to real life. 

You tugged at Toriel’s robe, making her lower her book. Once you had her attention, you pointed to the book, the picture specifically. Toriel frowned. “Frisk, you will need to tell me what you are asking me.”

You sighed, not quite sure why you were so hesitant to use your voice. “...Different colour?”

“Hmm? Yes, I must admit you are a slightly different colour to other Skitties I have met, though it has been a long time since then. Do not worry though, sometimes monsters are simply born that way, it is not unheard of or ridiculed amongst us. Perhaps it is time to take a break, you have been reading for a long time. Would you like a drink, or maybe a snack?”

“...Drink please.”

Toriel put her book down, adjusting the bookmark in it, and put her reading glasses on top of it. “Of course, do you want to come with me to see what I have?” 

You followed Toriel, hot on her heels, leaving behind the book, open at the page it was on.

...In the quiet, an unseen force flipped through the pages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaannd this is what I've written so far. Don't expect a chapter a day from this point, but I will try and keep things updated pretty often.  
> I feel like I'm dragging out the Ruins a bit, but this is also all we get from Toriel for a while at least, and we need to revel in the mom-ness. Seriously, Toriel became such a mum while writing, without me even trying.  
> Either way, stuff happens next chapter, and I hope you picked up the few nods to Pokemon / Mystery Dungeon things~
> 
> (In other news, I have completely figured out feasible stats for Frisk. They are Quirky natured, and Strong Willed. Probably will give proper stats to all the main characters eventually. ¬w¬)
> 
> Thanks for reading! ^_^


	4. What you don't yet know you don't know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i'M SORRY GOAT/CLEFABLE MOM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently SPMD is out in America, and I am hyped, but I am but a simple european and have to wait another three months. orz

“Good morning Frisk. I’m afraid if you want breakfast, you need to get up now; if you leave it any later, you’ll not want any lunch.”

All Toriel got in response was a groan as you reluctantly extracted yourself from the blanket nest. You stumbled your way down the corridor, towards the wonderful smell, part of the routine you had developed over the past few days. Breakfast, either reading or going to somewhere in the Ruins with Toriel, lunch, a lesson of sorts, reading while Toriel got dinner ready, then eating said dinner. You were safe, warm and fed, and while you had not remembered things about your past, you had learned a great deal in its place. 

You jumped up to your seat at the table, seeing a selection of things set out to eat. You now knew that Toriel baked the bread herself, and made the preserves herself. Toriel had seemed reluctant to talk about anywhere beyond the ruins, but she had let slip that the ruins were pretty cut off from the rest of the world; fresh produce was either grown here or in short supply. Things were preserved, or substituted. Still, you couldn’t miss what you didn’t remember, right?

Toriel looked at you curiously across the table as hummed while munching away, tail flicking from side to side. “I know I have said this before, but I do appreciate having you here. Seeing you happy… makes me happy too.” You smiled back, still munching away. Toriel took the silence to speak again. “I was thinking this morning you might pick a non-fiction book and we could talk about it together? I did think about showing you the murals of the old hall a way away, but a group of monsters use it on Fridays for their club meetings, and I wouldn’t want to interrupt. Perhaps tomorrow?”

You nodded, reaching for another slice of toast. “My child, I think you have had enough for now. Lunch is not that far off, in the end.” You scowled, but pulled back regardless. Besides, if less toast now meant more pie later, you could live with it.

Toriel got up from the table, finished as well. “I will clear and clean up, why don’t you go for a short walk?” 

Sounded good: You went back to your room to fetch your carrying pouch and ribbon-turned-scarf (Toriel had kindly washed it since you had found it - truthfully, it had been a bit grubby and dusty.), and headed out into the wider ruins. The locals had become used to you, excited to see a new face around, and anyone you met greeted you as you went past. It didn’t mean you didn’t have to dodge projectiles though, some monsters’ idea of greeting you consisted of scattering their magic at you, but you managed, and even had fun.   
You had hoped you would bump into Napstablook again, but they were sadly nowhere to be seen. You had seen them around a few times, and since they had gotten over most of their initial nervousness, they had opened up a bit more, and the two of you had relaxed and chatted about things. Disappointed and heading back, you decided to buy another doughnut from the spiders again, not necessarily to eat now but as a mid-afternoon snack while Toriel wasn’t watching.

Before you went into the house again, you stopped to appreciate the almost bare tree outside. A single leaf had grown, and it danced on the soft breeze running through the ruins. Seeing the leaf waving at you… filled you with determination.

The house was quiet. You poked your head into the living room, but Toriel was nowhere to be seen. Nor was she in the kitchen, or her room. You even put your ear to the locked door at the end of the corridor, but you heard nothing.

You had checked everywhere, except one place. The steps down to the dim, cold and breezy corridor. You had once looked down the steps, and felt the air go through your fur, but Toriel had stopped you from going further, hurriedly distracting you with a book of hers. 

Was something down there? Was Toriel down there?

With a moment of hesitation, you made your way down the steps, the same breeze calling to you again. 

It was dim, and long, and empty. You don’t know what you expected. Still, you pressed on, and after a moment for your eyes to adjust, you could see the corridor turned a corner. Keep going, you had to see what was-

Static suddenly and inexplicably filled your mind, and you stopped dead in your tracks, wincing and trying to clear your head. The static, just as suddenly as it had come, resolved into a ringing tone, and you saw a flash of light before your eyes.

There was a faint buzzing in the back of your mind, and your vision felt blurred around the edges, but you could see again. What you saw, though, was Toriel suddenly standing before you, her back to you. “Ahead lies the end of the ruins: A one way exit to the rest of this world. And I am going to destroy it.”

Your head spun, both from the words you were struggling to comprehend and the nausea. You stumbled backwards, but as your back bumped against something soft you noticed the corridor ahead was again empty. “Frisk! Are you okay? You should not be down here, you will catch a chill!” You spun round to see Toriel behind you, flustered and worried. “Oh my, you do not look well at all. Come, I will light the fire.”

You shuffled your way back the living room, and sure enough Toriel lit the fire with her magic, indicating for you to sit on the cushion by it. “I am sorry for not being here when you came back, I was helping deactivate a puzzle that had reloaded itself…” Toriel paused, watching you shiver, concerned. She picked up a book from the shelf, and carefully sat on the floor beside you, pulling you close. “Shh, shh, there there. I’m here now.”

You sat there for some time, warmed by the fire and Toriel. Your mind had finally settled, and although you were still confused, even disturbed by what you could have sworn you had seen and heard, right now, the hug felt much more real. You indicated to the book Toriel had set down before the two of you, looking at her questioningly. “Hmm? Oh, we were going to do some reading now weren’t we? And I just remembered that you had pulled this one off the shelf the first time, but never got round to it.”

The Abridged History of Monsterkind… It would do. You pulled it closer, and Toriel picked it up, opening it to the first page. You sank back into her robes, letting the words wash over you.

“Long ago, two races ruled over the world known as the Earth: Humans, and Monsters. They lived, despite their differences, in an uneasy peace for many millennia. Monsterkind built cities and civilizations, and wished under the stars, but away from the Humans. Monsters wielded powerful magic that Humans could not, but Humans themselves had a power to their Souls that, if called upon, could dwarf any magic of any monster… This peace did not last, however.   
The Humans attacked without warning, or mercy, and after a long war, they were victorious. They exiled all Monsters to the far continent, where they had once built their first cities, now laid waste from the war. To seal their victory, they set Monsterkind adrift from Earth, enclosing the continent with a magical barrier, too strong for Monsters to pass through or destroy.  
Fearful of further conflict, Monsters retreated to the ruins of their first city, the name of which had been lost to time. They built new homes amongst the old, and gave it a new name: “Home”. As… great… as our king is, he is pretty lousy at names.”

Humans… but… the flower had said you had a human soul… you had too many new questions. And to add that to the vision of sorts you had had… what was that?

You had told Toriel you had a human soul, and she had dashed away to do something. She had insinuated you were to stay here permanently. And in the vision, she said she was going to destroy the only exit to the rest of the world?

You had too many questions, and to answer them, you realised you would have to leave. 

“Frisk? You haven’t gone to sleep have you?” You jolted out of your stupor. “Ha, sorry if I made you jump, but I say it is time to eat something else, if you are ready for it.”

...if you were going to leave, you might as well savour as much of Toriel's food as you could.

~~~

After eating, you had headed to your room to pick up your things again. Voice Orb, bow, doughnut, money you had collected…

You stood outside, watching the leaf on the tree again, steeling yourself. It danced still, and as you watched it, it let go, rising above the rooftops on the breeze. Seeing the leaf set off on its journey too… filled you with determination. 

The sooner you got this over with, the easier it would be. You approached Toriel, who was cleaning up the last remnants of lunch in the kitchen, humming to herself, interrupting her with a cough. It was her turn to jump now. “Oh, Frisk, it’s you. Did you want something?”

You remembered her words from when you had started your journey: “You mustn't feel obligated to give the answer you think will make me happy.” And if you were going to continue it, you needed to do just that. “...How do I leave the Ruins?”

Toriel looked as pale and shocked as she had done when you had mentioned that you had a human soul. She gripped the countertop for support, her expression pained. “I'm sorry, I must do something now. Please wait here.”

Before she had left the room, you were following her. You heard her footsteps coming from down the steps, and you dashed after her, paying no heed to the cold air. As you reached the bottom of the steps, Toriel had stopped suddenly. You cautiously approached, only to stop as well. This was your vision, only right now, it really was real and in front of you. “You wish to leave, do you not? Ahead lies the end of the ruins: A one way exit to the rest of this world. And I am going to destroy it. No-one will ever be able to leave again… Now be a good child, and go back upstairs.”

You couldn’t. You wanted to stay, but you couldn’t, and you did not hesitate to follow her again when she started walking, this time slower and more solemn. She must have heard you keep following, as she stopped again with a sigh, posture faltering. “Where you fell… strong and ancient magic from the time of the first monsters has made the fabric of this world weak there. Sometimes, humans fall through the cracks, and they all meet the same fate. I have seen it again and again: They come. They leave… They die. If what you say is true, that you have a human soul somehow, then you face the same danger. You naive child… If they ever found out, they… Asgore… will kill you. I am only protecting you, do you understand? ...please go to your room.”

You walked at the same pace, and as Toriel turned the corner, you saw her face again. There were tears in her eyes, and she looked drained. “Do not try to stop me. This is your final warning.”

She stood in front of a massive door, made of heavy stone and emblazoned with the symbol you had seen across the Ruins. “You want to leave so badly? Even when doing so threatens your life? Even when I have done my best to make you safe here? Hmph. You are just like the others… there is only one solution to this. Prove yourself. Prove to me you are strong enough to survive.”

You jumped back as a series of fireballs scattered towards you, landing where you had been a moment ago, singeing the tip of your tail. As you dodged that, you tried to speak up, to plead with Toriel, but your words failed you. Another set of fireballs snaked towards you, and you moved to dodge it. There was an opening now, a chance to attack. If that was what Toriel wanted-

Static tore through your mind, and away from the world. You were running, past the flames around you, paying no heed to them, fixated on Toriel. You couldn’t control your actions: You felt a strange surge within you, and similar fireballs now converged on Toriel, several striking her square in the chest. She cried out, falling to her knees, and she was… laughing? “You really are no different from them! From all of them! And to think… I was worried? For you?!” Laughter turned to pained sobs, and a few seconds later, Toriel turned to dust, leaving a pile of purple cloth covered in stark white ash.

The cold wind started to carry it away, and while inside you were horrified, sickened even, you felt your face twist into a grin.

You couldn’t tell when the world had changed, but the fireballs from before were suddenly around you, and somehow, Toriel was there again, very much alive. 

You couldn’t tear your eyes from her, even when you bore the brunt of an entire volley of fire, even when her hands went up to her face in shock... even when the world around you started to fade.

~~~

_“You cannot give up yet, not now… Please, stay determined…”_

~~~

And suddenly, you were watching a leaf blow away on the breeze again. Again? How could it be again? What were you doing just now?

How to leave the ruins.

That was what you asked Toriel once you had walked back inside, a faint nagging feeling of familiarity to the situation. Toriel made an excuse, and ran down the steps again, stopped in the corridor again, warned you away again. Deja vu, to the extreme, only… At the corner, you could see her face, and she could see yours.

“...Are you okay, Frisk? Why are you looking at me like that? Like… you have seen a ghost… Do- no, that would be absurd. Please, go back to your room.”

You had to put your confusion and fear aside.

You would face Toriel, and this time, you knew what was coming. This time, you would not fight, no matter how she commanded you, because you had seen what would happen. 

Dodging the flames was easier when you knew what patterns they came in, and after each attack, Toriel tried to tell you to fight. 

“What are you doing? Attack, or run away!”

But you refused.

“What are you proving this way?”

Toriel’s attacks grew weaker. She wanted to protect you, not kill you, and if she had kept up her attacks, the only way it would ever end would be with one of you dead. 

What you were proving, was that that this world wasn’t KILL or be KILLED.

“Fight me or leave!”

Sorry Mom… but to leave you had to keep at it, and stay determined.

The fire avoided you. Next time, the fire stopped. “...I know you want to leave… but… please, go upstairs. I promise I will take good care of you.” She looked at you pleadingly, and you felt tears in your eyes. “We can have a good life here.” You walked forward, closing the gap between you, and you rested your head against her. Toriel’s robes were soft, and you remembered how only a short time ago you were curled up together by the warm fire. When Toriel spoke next, all harshness had gone, and she knelt down again to embrace you again. 

“Why are you making this so difficult for me… Pathetic, is it not? I can’t even save a single child. But I understand. You would not be happy if you stayed here, because I would be preventing you from being you. The Ruins are small, and books are a limited way to learn about the world. You have a much better chance at remembering your life by experiencing life. And, well, you do not look human. There is that in your favour. Perhaps, you can make a life for yourself out there, memories, soul, or not. My fears, expectations… loneliness… I will put them aside for you. If you truly wish to leave the Ruins, I will not stop you. However, I have one thing to ask of you. When you leave? Please do not come back.”

Toriel gave you one last squeeze, before letting you go. “Goodbye, my child.” The look she gave you as she left made you wonder if leaving behind the one home you knew of was worth it all, but your determination urged you onwards.

The door ground open, letting the cold breeze free. You clutched your ribbon-scarf closer; it provided little warmth, but at least you had fur… You walked up the gently sloping corridor towards the light at the end. Another archway lead into another dark room with another spot of light and oh mother of-

“Clever. Veeerrryyy clever.” Your fur stood on end as you watched the flower in front of you. There was no Toriel to save you this time. “You think you’re really smart, don’t you? In this world, it’s kill or be killed. Hmm? What’s that? You managed to spare her? So what. You could play by your own rules here, but what will you do when you come up against a relentless killer, or when you can’t have things your own way by just asking? You’ll die or reLOAD, over and over, trying to find a way… But one day you’ll tire of trying, and what will you do then? Will you kill out of frustration? Or finally give up, and not come back? Because… ha, with you out of my way, I’ll have my way with this world again. I am the prince and architect of this world’s future. Don’t worry, my plan isn’t regicide… oh no, this is going to be SO much more interesting!”

Its face twisted and pulled away from the flower, and you scrabbled, trying to put distance between you. It cackled when it saw your fear, before disappearing back into the ground. After a few moments, making sure Flowey really was gone, you cautiously moved the the last archway, the same as the one you went through to enter the ruins. A final door: a lever sent distant mechanisms whirring, and it began to open, light seeping in, and thuds echoing. 

You took your first steps into the rest of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >> "oh yeah this chapter is gonna be shorter"  
> >> [3K+ words]  
> >> "goddamnit"
> 
> So we say goodbye to Goat/Fairy mom and take a new step on our journey. (and justify the major character death tag) ;u;
> 
> Okay, forewarning, I really want to make Sans and Papyrus Duskull/Dusclops for reasons of mine and this is your last chance to object... ¬¬"""   
> Oh, and I would love to hear your thoughts about things: What is this bit here, what does this mean, why is this different. I wanna see if you pick up on a few things. ^_^
> 
> Don't expect a chapter the next couple of days, as I have work to do, but seeya next time~~


	5. Brave New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Frisk questions their life, and meets some new people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate summary: A montage of Frisk looking into the camera like they are on the office.

Your feet sank into snow, and you immediately wished those shoes in your old room had fit you.

The trees grew thick and dense around you, reaching towards a sky that was a shimmering grey. A part of you wondered why it wasn’t blue, but a moment later another part of you wondered why it should be blue; it wasn’t like you remembered anything, was it?

This was what you had fought for: To see the world beyond. You just hoped it wasn’t all cold and creepy like this, as you started down the path through the thicket, with the nagging feeling that you were being watched.

One side of the path fell away, and you could see the forest stretch on below you, as well as the place you had come from. Looking back, the door to the Ruins was set into a large mountain, craggy and dusted with snow. If you didn’t know better, you would have never have known of the city nestled inside-

What was that? There was a flicker of light amongst the trees, casting new shadows over the path… or maybe you were getting jumpy for no reason? It all seemed so still now… Flowey and Toriel's words had planted a seed of doubt in your mind as to how safe you really were in this world… 

No turning back; be brave, be determined. You started walking again, towards the bridge you could see in the distance through the faint freezing mist. You focused your mind on it, and not on the flickering shadows, or the sudden snap of a branch behind you. Picking up the pace, the shadows did too, and now you could hear footsteps muffled by snow.

You practically sprinted the last few steps, before pausing half a second too long at the bridge, wondering whether the worn wood really would hold your weight.

“Y-yo, you just came out of the Ruins! I heard that no one's been there for years, what's your secret?! You gotta tell me!”

You whirled round and were greeted by an orange lizard like monster, dressed in a striped shirt and bouncing up and down with excitement. You remembered something like them from the book you had read; what was this species called? Char… men-something? So this was who was following you. Their flame-tipped tail radiated welcome heat towards you, even from the distance it was to you.

“Uh, are you gonna say something? Sorry if I startled ya, I just- Well, I gotta know what’s it like on the other side of the door! I've always wondered…”

What were you going to say? Deny it or...“Um… it’s very… ruin-y? And purple.”

The kid- you assumed they were a kid- stared at you, enraptured. “Purple? Whoa, so cool… I've always wanted to explore there, but the door is always locked. How did you get in?!”

As you thought over how to answer, a voice startled the two of you. “hey, I know you kids like playing over this way, but the foot of the mountain is kinda pushing it, don't ya think?”

You were frozen for a reason other than the cold as your eyes met with the speaker, an honestly freaky looking monster hovering a little way off the ground, the other side of the bridge. The kid pushed past you to stand in front. “Uh, sorry Mr. Sans! B-but… my buddy here knows how to get into the ruins!”

No, you didn’t, all you knew was how to wake up at the bottom of a hole. Was this kid going to tell everyone? Great, this was the opposite of secret…

The grey skull-like monster peered round the kid. “heh, do they now? that's cool. say, don't think i’ve seen your friend around before.” He floated up to you and held out a stubby limb. “c’mon, dontcha know how to greet a new pal?”

As you stared at the red orb that was glowing somewhere in-between his eye sockets, you found it hard to say no. Tentatively, you took his hand with a paw.

A large fart noise echoed through the once quiet forest. 

“heheh, the old whoopee cushion in the hand trick. it's always funny.”

It was at this point you came to the conclusion that this world was trying to kill you not with deadly magic or traps but with bizarre, twisted humour. 

“anyway, nice to meet ya and all but you’re still the wrong side of the bridge. look, respect the effort my brother put into the gate, if not the design.” Sans shooed you across unceremoniously. “remember, not past the sentry station, and don’t take times when i’m not here as an excuse.”

“SANS! SANS! SOME DELINQUENTS TRASHED MY PUZZLE!”

A grey monster, similar in some ways to Sans and taller than Toriel, skidded to a halt in front of the sentry hut, waving their hands wildly and screeching. “THIS IS A TRAVESTY. THEY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE FINER ARTS OF PUZZLEOLOGY. JUST WHEN I HAD GOTTEN IT TO LOOK LIKE MY FACE… THE CRUELTY!” Only now did he pause long enough to notice you and the other kid. “DID EITHER OF YOU SEE ANYTHING???”

The both of you murmured something like a no, but it wasn’t like the new monster waited for your reply before launching into his next sentence. “SANS, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME FIX IT RIGHT THIS SECOND. YOU KNOW THE ONE I MEAN, NO DILLY-DALLYING.”  
And like that, he was gone, cape billowing behind him. Sans sighed, and bobbed up and down in a way that reminded you of a shrug. “well, that was papyrus alright. didn’t even manage to get a pun in edgeways... if either of you didn’t know already, he’s kinda obsessed with catching a human, he’s got all these cool puzzles cooked up all over snowdin forest to try and slow them down or trap them. not that we’ve had a human for years, but hey, at least we’re **puzzle** -tively sorted if one does show up, right?” He chuckled as he was rewarded with a groan. “ha ...i probably should go now, but stay safe you two, okay?”

Sans floated off before disappearing into the distance, leaving you with the kid you had bumped into. “Man, Sans and Papyrus are pretty funny huh? The grown-ups say they just kinda showed up one day in town a while back. I’m kinda glad they did, town is boring enough as it is… I just… Ha, nevermind.” They shuffled uneasily on the spot, toying with the hem of their shirt. “I, uh, never asked your name! Sorry, that was rude of me. What is it?”

Between the… unique characters and odd jokes, there was the charm you had grown accustomed to in the Ruins, right there in this kid who bubbled with enthusiasm and energy at the thought of finding out the answer to a long-held question, and at the thought of making a new friend. “Frisk. What’s yours?”

“Mine’s Kid. Nice to meet ya!”

Ah yes. The kid was named Kid. Of course, this was the kind of thing you had come to expect from this world.

“Really though, how did you get in the Ruins? I’ve been sneaking out this way for ages, trying to solve it. There must be a way to get in from the outside, like, a hidden switch or something?”

You shook your head. “...Sorry Kid, I don’t know. I just woke up in there.”

“What? You mean, you don’t remember? Like… that amnesia thing?”

You were trying not to draw attention to yourself, but again, you didn’t feel like lying… You nodded. 

“Whoa, really? Huh… do you know where you live?”

Well, you did have somewhere, but something came up, so…

“No? Well you can’t stay outside, you’ll freeze! Come back with me to town, you can probably stay at the Inn at least.” Kid went the same way as Sans had done, before turning to see if you were coming. “C’mon, this way. Oh, and, if you see my parents, don’t tell them I was this far from town…”

Walking beside Kid, the flame on this tail illuminated the snow. The kindness of strangers, a new friend; they filled you with determination.

~~~

Turned out that pretty much all the kids of the local town hung out in the forest. You had to give some of the more boisterous or overzealous ones the slip, but most of them seemed friendly enough. Kid seemed to know a lot of them, even if they had seemed a bit shy, exchanging greetings. There were a number of sentry stations through the forest, though only one had been occupied, and the Mightyena there had proven all too easy to sneak past. You were just solving this one puzzle to clear the path, one with some sort of map set dug into the ground, something hidden in the snow…

“Yo, Frisk? I know you don’t remember much, but… have you ever heard of the Royal Guard?”

“Nope, sorry…”

“Ha, don’t worry. They’re a group of cool warriors, dedicated to protecting all monsters! And they’re lead by Undyne… she’s so cool. I… Well, I’ve always wanted to have some excitement in my life, y’know? And that’s in short supply in Snowdin… for the longest time I’ve wanted to follow in her footsteps. Tracking down bad guys and dishing out justice, or rescuing people! So cool! You don’t see her much in Snowdin, but sometimes I sneak out to try and see her over in Waterfall… But, there’s something else… I know it sounds silly, this continent isn’t huge, but there’s things left by the old monsters. Ruins, treasures, and with the weird things happening in places, there’s places being uncovered! Maybe I can be some… Royal Guard Explorer? Heh. Why am I telling you this, this is silly.”

“I think it sounds pretty cool, Kid... Solving mysteries…”

“Really? ...You think so? Yeah, like solving mysteries! Back home, I have this thing. It’s not much, but it’s like… My personal treasure? Kinda a good luck charm in a way. But it’s got this pattern on it, and I can’t find anything about it. Maybe one day I can solve it.”

Toriel had suggested learning about the world to try and recover some memories, about experiencing it being the best way to do that. And the thought of treasure? Well, that would appeal to anyone. “Kid? Do you think that I could find my memories by exploring?”

“It’s worth a try! We both have a mystery to solve, huh? ...I know we kinda just met, but… would you… like to explore with me?”

“...I’d like that.”

Kid beamed. “This is gonna be great, I promise! Hey look, there’s the switch.” He practically bounded for the exit, and so did you. Right now you felt you could climb a mountain, and nothing could stop you. 

“HALT. Strange smell… Here!” Two huge, cloaked and hooded dog-like monsters circled the two of you, sniffing loudly.

Kid pressed his back to you, trying to avoid them as they prowled. “Urk… The two Arcanines… oh boy. Just let them sniff you, they should let us go with just a warning…”

As soon as he said that, they loomed over you. “Here it is.” “Smells like…” “Feline…” “Identify yoursmellf!” You could feel Kid trembling beside you, and the Arcanine duo looked ready to pounce any moment, embers sparking in their mouths as they growled.

“U-uh, it’s me, Kid, from Snowdin! And this is my friend Frisk!”

“Hmm…” “Never smelled you before, have we, Dogaressa?” “Nope, no feline monsters round here, Dogamy…” “Grrr…”

“guys, frisk is cool. you can stand down.” Sans weaved his way through the legs of the pair, before shielding you from them.

“Huh?” “Sans?” “They shouldn’t be out here though…” “If you’re sure…”

“chill, trust me. i know you two are great **scent** -ries, (Sans paused here for comedic effect, and if ever there was an audible wink, this was it) but i don’t think a couple of kids will pose a threat.”

“Okay then.” “We trust you.” The duo stood aside to let you past, and you heard a sigh of relief from Kid. You couldn’t leave quick enough.

“sorry ‘bout that, they do their jobs a little too well sometimes. no worries though, papyrus’ wrecked puzzle is up ahead. maybe you can help test it?” Sans lead you past a deactivated puzzle to a larger one, Papyrus checking it over. “HMM? OH, IT’S YOU. COME TO ADMIRE MY HANDIWORK? I HAVE FIXED IT, I THINK, I JUST NEED TO TEST IT TO MAKE SURE IT IS SOLVABLE…”

“perhaps let the kids have a go, bro?”

“...AN EXCELLENT IDEA, BROTHER! HERE, SEE IF YOU CAN DO IT.”

Lumps of snow formed a maze that was, at best, vaguely in the shape of Papyrus’ face, surrounding a series of panels. “YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE CROSSES TO CIRCLES BY STEPPING ON THEM.”   
You gave Kid a questioning look, asking whether they wanted to go, or should you. “You have a go Frisk, I’m sure you can do it.” 

It was your third attempt when there was a thud and the puzzle unlocked suddenly, despite you having not activated all the tiles yet. You looked up to Papyrus for an explanation, but he looked as surprised as you. “WOWEE, YOU SOLVED THE PUZZLE WITHOUT PRESSING ALL OF THEM! YOU MUST BE SOME PUZZLE PRODIGY! A… PUZZLEGY… PUZZRDGIY… A-”

“pruzzledgy?”

Papyrus stamped his foot in annoyance. “SANS STOP STEALING MY THUNDER! THOUGH, THAT WAS QUITE GOOD, I GUESS.”

Kid stumbled out of the bush that was to the side of the puzzle, rubbing a bump on their head. “I uh, fell on something? Ow…”

Papyrus had dashed off muttering as loudly as something could be said and still classified as muttering, leaving you with Sans again. “well, you solved that one, if a little unconventionally. and hey, ya did my job for me. which is great, ‘cause i love doing nothing. oh, and don’t worry about whether it’s solvable the normal way: i worked it out while you were trying it.”

Sans looked over the bump on Kid’s head. “hmm, you should be fine. next time, don’t lean on a bush. trust me, i’ve tried, it’s not comfy.”

“If you think so… Uh, Sans?” Frisk kinda doesn’t have a place to stay tonight. Could you help them?” ...as much as you still wanted to avoid attention, the thought of freezing wasn’t that appealing…

“uh, sure, i can have a word at the inn. though, ki- **PAL** , what happened to leave you out in the cold? actually, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want. don’t worry, you’ll have a roof over your head somehow tonight.”

Reassured, you followed Sans towards the faint glow of lights in the distance, growing more pronounced as the grey sky began to dim, and you were determined to make the most of the warmth awaiting you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another one done. Sorry for the wait, two presentations and an essay thing happened, plus I aggravated a cold by going to choir so...
> 
> Now we start to see more little changes, meet our partner, Monster Kid, and HELLO SKELEBROS Also the puns are 100% asteri originals so uh, you're welcome??? 
> 
> I had more to say but I'm ill and forgot so just take this.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp I did it. This idea mostly came from me just daydreaming and then I realised the two fit together all too well. And then I realised I could even use some guilty headcanons of mine, and I was having too much fun with it. ^_^'  
> What can I say, pokemon is forever. 
> 
> Already written up to half way through chapter three, won't commit to a schedule but it should be pretty regular, what with frequent long bus rides and three days off a week. Plus, I already have most of an ending, so that won't be a problem. ^_^
> 
> (This is only my second ever published fanfic thing, and my first time using Ao3. No I will not link you to the other >w>")
> 
> Dragging this on further, thanks for all the feedback from people who I showed this to, shout out to c0cunt, choco, and the Undertale Trash Bin crew, plus more I probably forgot.


End file.
